Volga Cormorants hold off Salem Cubs in opening round of Class B state tourney

MADISON — The ‘Rants are on to Round 2.

The Volga Cormorants built an early seven-run deficit to top Salem, 9-7, in the opening round of the Class B state tournament at Cadwell Park on Friday.

“This group of guys has been playing together so well this year and it just shows how we play as a team,” said Cormorants manager Layne Lucas. “It’s just how we’ve been playing all year.”

Volga’s offense worked early and often with seven runs in the first two frames. Bayley Colemer kicked off the scoring with an RBI-single while Jordan Kathol plated another run on a single two batters later.

A five-run second inning was highlighted by a bases-clearing wild pitch that scored three runs. Colemer drove in a run on another single while Jordan Sagedahl added an RBI on a hit batsman.

Cormorants starting pitcher Dom Boerger (Milbank pick-up player) rolled through the first two frames with six consecutive strikeouts but struggled in the third frame.

An error from right fielder Trevor Olson scored two runs off the bat of Cole Cheeseman to get the Cubs on the board.

“Guns a blazing, I was ready to rock and I just died off,” said Boerger. “I just kept throwing, filling up the zone like I always do.”

“Dom is a huge addition and a guy like Dom has been in this position time and time again so picking him up was a no-brainer,” said Lucas. “He showed it today with how he performed on the field.”

Boerger went seven innings on the mound to take the win, allowing just two unearned runs on two hits and a walk, adding 12 strikeouts as well. He added postgame how the early lead aided in his ability to settle into his first start with the new squad.

“Playing with Milbank this year, our bats were really down so it was really hard,” Boerger said. “A lot of games that I was pitching in, they were close games so getting up like that, it’s easy to get relaxed on the mound. Especially with a team you don’t know.”

Boerger and Colemer added two more runs in the fourth inning on a pair of RBI-singles.

With a 9-2 lead, Boerger tossed four scoreless innings to end his outing. In the eighth inning, Jacob Vonberge plated a run for the Cubs on a single to kickstart a comeback.

In the ninth, the Cubs late rally scored four runs and got the tying run to the plate, but Volga’s Jordan Sagedahl slammed the door on the win, earning the save.

Colemer batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Noah Puetz added two hits while Sagedahl, Boerger and Kathol each drove in a run in the win.

“Our top of the lineup is seeing the ball so well and their hitting is contagious,” Lucas said of the offense. “It just spreads to the rest of us and keeps us all having fun at the plate and making it a kid's game.”

Salem’s Aiden Scheetz took the loss in 3.2 innings, allowing nine runs on eight hits and two walks.

Cheeseman had two hits and an RBI, Kyle Tuschen drove in two runs while Bobby Koepsell and Jacob VonBerge each had an RBI in the loss.

Volga will play the Lennox Bandits, who defeated Groton Locke Electric, 2-1, earlier in the day, on Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m.